"The cancellation of this trip is another consequence of the House Republicans forcing a shutdown of the government," a White House news release said."This completely avoidable shutdown is setting back our ability to create jobs through promotion of U.S. exports and advance U.S. leadership and interests in the largest emerging region in the world. The president looks forward to continuing his work with our allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific and to returning to the region at a later date."

The president has called for a sharper U.S. focus on Asia following years spent fighting wars in the Middle East.

Mr. Obama had been scheduled to participate in two summits next week, a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group of countries in Indonesia, and a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Brunei.

The announcement followed Mr. Obama's earlier cancellation of the other two scheduled stops on the Asia tour, in Malaysia and the Philippines. The White House announced those cancellations on Wednesday.

Mr. Obama had been planning to leave Saturday for the trip to Indonesia and Brunei. Secretary of State John Kerry will go in his stead, the White House said. Mr. Obama phoned the leaders of Brunei and Indonesia on Thursday to express regret for canceling the trip, the White House said.

Indonesia on Friday said that it "fully understood" Mr. Obama's decision not to attend the APEC meeting.

Mr. Obama informed Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a phone call that Mr. Kerry would lead the U.S. delegation in his place, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told The Wall Street Journal.

"This won't affect the nature of the discussions," Mr. Natalegawa said. "No doubt that Kerry will be able to present the U.S. position on the issues."

Mr. Natalegawa said he was disappointed with the cancellation, but that President Yudhoyono "fully understood" the decision. "It is what it is," he said. "But emotion is not policy. We well proceed, we will go on."

APEC member economies are meeting in Bali, Indonesia largely to discuss trade issues, including arrangements to revive the long-stalled Doha round of WTO trade talks in December.

Twelve of the 21 APEC members are also discussing final issues to form the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a sweeping trade deal that negotiators hope to conclude by the end of the year.

Republicans in Congress have said that government funding measures should include provisions to curtail a new health-insurance law championed by Mr. Obama. Mr. Obama and Democrats in Congress have rejected efforts to scale back the law. The disagreement has left large parts of the U.S. government unfunded in the fiscal year that began Tuesday.

The Catholic Supreme Court upheld Obamacare and the Right to Bear Arms.

If you were shot accidently and sent to the hospital you need obamacare.

The Supreme Court upheld the Right to an Abortion. To commit a crime in a federal park, is a federal offense. Instead of the Koch brothers funding money to defeat Obamacare, I'd suggest they fund hospital vans that can travel to federal parks around a state or the nation and perform abortions for those who respect; RESPONSIBLE LIFE ... thus obeying federal laws ... don't you think.

I don't know why he cancelled his trip, he doesn't want to negotiate so why stick around. His normal MO, run from anything tough! Golf will be he's get away! I just don't understand how people can not see who's the problem here. It not the Conservatives on the Republican side, but it sure is the President, and his henchman Harry Reid! The Constitution lays out exactly what is supposed to be done, yet the Democrats in the Senate are flatly disregarding the whole Constitution for the self interest! WE need a budget not a Continuing Resolution, and Democrats don't want that!

Mister Obama continues to trivialize and denigrate the desires of 49% of the country. He stresses the entire population by his class warfare and race baiting rhetoric as the most divisive president of all time. We see now the weakest members beginning to crack.

Mr. Obama shares in the responsibility for the shut down. Some in the House fail to recognize the limits of controlling one half of 1 branch of government. Mr. Obama fails to understand the concepts of leadership and negotiation.

What, Barry doesn't think his use of the bullypulpit to deride the republicans will work from asia? clearly he is not needed here in the states as his involvement to date has been anything but cordial or even leader like. calling a meeting to say "you a$&_holes better do as i say or I will call you out publicly as being ignorant" is really not a step towards progress.

Boo Who - Have no fear, since he can't meet with his friends and relatives in Indonesia, I'm confident he will fly them to the White House for a get together after a golf outing...I mean just think, he has had representation from the Muslim Brotherhood visit the White House, whats another party amongst Muslim Brothers??

Get over it!! Not only he is going to finish his 2nd term without laming to the finish line. He is going to get another Demo in the white house the way the Republicans are going, a bunch of sour grapes and black haters.

At least the black guy has class, plays golf and is literate. Unlike your whiti GWB who can only hold a bottle right but not a bible right (he can't even read for God sake). His time was all spent on contributing global warming, driving his F-350 super duty deep into Texas woods and chopping down trees one by one with super duty chain saws and super duty determination.

What a slam on the face of the Philippinos, who have been praying and crying for the visit of President Obama so as to show up against China! What a pity now that their scheme has failed them! What a shame that the attempt to take advantage by stimulating confrontations between the big powers has become in vain! The saying that man's desire is never beyond the God's desire can never be truer. May God bless all the good peoples of Asia! Far away relatives can never be as handy as your close neighbors. Only the Phillppinos are never even related to the US after all.

The White House news release said: "This completely avoidable shutdown is setting back our ability to create jobs through promotion of U.S. exports and advance U.S. leadership and interests in the largest emerging region in the world..."

For a moment it looked like President Obama's refusal to negotiate with Congress might undermine his ability to negotiate with the governments of Indonesia and Brunei. The hopeful amongst us could only see that the "glass half full" part of this story was that the President would have time to polish his golf game:

BUT:

"This won't affect the nature of the discussions," Mr. Natalegawa said. "No doubt that Kerry will be able to present the U.S. position on the issues."

Great that he won't be traveling , one it saves the US money, it keeps the Mideast a little calmer, reason, nobody can stand him over there anyway, when he's done reading from his teleprompter more people die, he just can't get it through his pin head that he is a mockery not a savior ! He is the poorest excuse for a man I ever saw !

"Mr. Natalegawa said he was disappointed with the cancellation, but that President Yudhoyono "fully understood" the decision. "It is what it is," he said. "But emotion is not policy. We well proceed, we will go on.""

Emotion is not policy. What a concept and refreshing chance of pace and thought.

Meanwhile, Obungo can't wait to get in front of US cameras, spitting mad and wild trying to deride Republican patriotism as "obstructionism" All sound and fury - signifying nothing. Pure emotion and no rational considerations for what is best for US policy; only his own "legacy." If anything, he's probably mad his vacati...er conference to those countries got cut short.

It's a sad state of affairs when one one compares our "leader" to other international leaders and sees just how far the short end of the stick we got this time around.

The analogy is valid. Just as a corporation is a continuing entity, so to, is the House of representatives. Just as a corporation buying another corporation would assume its' liabilities so to is the house of representatives obligated to assume preceding house of representatives liabilities

""The cancellation of this trip is another consequence of the House Republicans forcing a shutdown of the government," a White House news release said." - As usual, Obama & co. are trying to blame somebody else for this. If the Seniletors had passed the House bill and sent it to Obe, he could have signed it and gone to Bali. Poor spoiled brat, he has to stay home and do his job instead of going on another speaking tour at taxpayer expense.

In the future, he should just send a mannequin that looks at a teleprompter and reads speeches through a voice synthesizer. It would achieve the same result and cost a lot less. Meanwhile he could putz around on a green incognito.

I'm not surprised...someone in the White House finally talked some sense into the President.I'm sure he is steaming, but it would look bad for a President that is 'never' served in the military is allowed to travel on the tax payers dime, while WWII vets "the greatest generation" can't get into a war memorial not to mention they it would look to his Liberal Left...that would have no choice but to report it...

It would have not been very smart...sorry Mr. President, welcome to the real world.

Uh oh. If the First Lady was accompanying him I would NOT want to be Barry tonight. There is a lot of delectable food in that part of the world, and everybody knows you do NOT mess with Moochelle's fancy dining plans.

Iran, Syria our nameless children....Who is this man who poses as our President? He has been demonstrating his position in name only for the past five years. We have how many left? Consider how much progress he has made in these five years, and then consider what shape this Country will be in another three years???? God help us

President Obama works long hours fighting the damage of Tea Party hacks, but next year he will get his bonus as they are sent home in 2014 elections. Millions of families have felt the GOP's anti-America worker sting, and they will vote.

A man negotiates to buy a house, with the owner and the bank. All parties are represented by attorneys and all parties agree to a price. Contracts defining the deal and the final price, are signed. The buyer of the house later decides that he does not want to buy the house, nevertheless pay for it. In fact he states that he refuses to pay for the house. This is called "Breach of contract". The man who decided decided to breach states "It's not my fault, It's the other parties fault". This would not seem to be a truthful statement.

You are right, Jimmy Carter is getting better and better with each passing day. Obama will be greatly remembered as the one who piled up national debt in record speed and pushed record number of families from middle class to food stamps.

Class? Obama? The man is a joke. There is no class in his lack of leadership, his lack of ability to raise a nation, and his never ending need to blame others instead of holding himself accountable for his actions.

You argument seems to be that the Republicans are obligated to pay for a law they never made, but the *president is not obligated to execute the law that he did make.

It's reasoning like that that caused the Founding Fathers to establish the principle that a Congress is not bound by the actions of a previous Congress. If you want a rule to be permanent, you have to amend the Constitution. Amending the Constitution is a difficult process and requires a strong consensus.

He is not making a fool of himself.Here in Asia it is the US system of government that is seen as the fool.Meanwhile President Xi has arrived in Malaysia to much fanfare and welcome.No USofA...well, that's fine.

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